Safety Concerns and Delays Plague UK's £6.3bn Ajax Military Vehicle Project
The UK's Ajax military vehicle project, costing £6.3bn and originally planned to deliver 589 vehicles, has faced significant safety concerns and delays. The first vehicles were expected to be in service in 2017, but deployment has been repeatedly delayed, with around 160 vehicles built so far. Full operating capacity is not expected for about four more years.
During a recent Ajax exercise, 30 personnel fell ill due to noise and vibration, prompting a pause in the exercise. Defence officials, including Pollard, expressed disgust over injuries to soldiers after earlier assurances that the vehicles were safe. Pollard noted that the Ajax vehicles had completed 42,000 km of testing without such injuries and that not all vehicles on the exercise caused harm.
Three investigations are currently underway, including a ministerial review ordered by Pollard, alongside the Defence Accident Investigation Branch and the Army Safety Investigation Team. Safety remains the top priority, with decisions to be made to resolve the ongoing issues.
Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge criticized the earlier assurances of safety and called for a clear fix or failure decision. He also highlighted an incident where a General Dynamics employee belittled injured soldiers; the company apologized in writing and stated it is investigating the matter, emphasizing that the remarks do not reflect company values.
A 2023 Army vehicle review identified systemic and institutional failures as well as optimism bias in the program. Former Defence Secretary Ben Wallace had stated that the Ajax project had "turned the corner" in 2023. Pollard had similarly indicated in early November that the troubles were behind them, but the later exercise pause contradicted this optimism.
The Ajax vehicles are manufactured in South Wales, and MPs have pressed for assurances on local jobs. Ruth Jones asked about the long-term security of these jobs. Pollard did not guarantee job security but acknowledged General Dynamics' significant economic contribution to Merthyr and the broader area.
Concerns remain over potential liability disputes if the project is halted. MPs have urged contingency plans, and Pollard confirmed that all options remain on the table as authorities work toward resolving the ongoing saga.
